Will The New Tesla Roadster Really Have A 400-Mile Range?

Elon Musk casually announced on Twitter that the Roadster 3.0 would be available sometime in August. This is based on the assumption that its battery receives its safety certification in July, mind you. The Roadster 3.0 package goes farther than just adding a new battery. There are also new tires and a body kit. The three-piece package is estimated to increase the Roadster’s range by 40-50 percent. Tesla plans to drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles to prove the range bump is real.

Keep in mind that none of this technology in the Roadster 3.0 pack is necessarily new. Tesla is simply taking what it learned with the Model S and applying it to the two-door. This may seem innocuous, but Tesla could be creating a blueprint for other electric car companies. Why bother releasing new cars when you can make the technology and bodies of older models more powerful and efficient?